It’s an absolutely frightening statistic, but true. Every 19 minutes in the U.S. we lose a life to prescription drug overdose. That’s approximately 75 deaths per day, 530 per week and 27,587 per year. All of which could be avoided with better preventative measures like drug education and proper treatment programs. This statistic is three times the number it was in 1990, and eclipses the number of deaths caused by heroin and cocaine combined. In fact, the issue of prescription drug overdose is so severe that it’s been addressed by the Obama Administration, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
In light of this data, we want to encourage each and every one of you to help do your part to raise awareness about how dangerous and addictive prescription painkillers can be, as well as the need for effective treatment programs for those who may already be struggling with dependency. In our society we often gravitate toward the ‘quick fix,’ and many doctors and patients have unfortunately become accustomed to prescribing and taking powerful opiate painkillers unnecessarily. In order to truly gain control over this rampant outbreak sweeping the nation, we need a societal shift in how we view and prescribe these medications, and the way we treat drugs, addiction and pain with the goal of taking action to stop this vicious cycle from continuing to occur.
With more than 1.3 million emergency room visits logged in 2010 related to the abuse of prescription drugs, this widespread problem has been dubbed as one of the largest man-made epidemics throughout history. In the recent 2013 National Drug Control Strategy by the Office of National Drug Control Policy, data from 2011 showed that 2.3 million Americans used prescription drugs for non-medical purposes for the first time, with 1.9 million of them using painkillers, mostly opioids. While this is also considered one of the most expensive drug problems to have, the statistics of people illegally abusing prescription painkillers, such as Vicodin, Percocet and Oxycodone, solidify the fact that more education and treatment options are needed to combat this rising problem.
Please help do your part, and share this information with your friends, family and anyone else you may know who can benefit from it. If you believe someone you know is abusing prescription painkillers, encourage them to talk to their doctor about it and consider other options. You speaking up could help save their life.
Waismann Method had an enormous success with treatment for prescription drug abuse. Patients have flown from all the word to our exclusive location based in So. California to receive our medical detox and rapid detox treatments. For more information, call us today at 310-205-0808 and start a health life free of prescription drug abuse
